Community Health Specialization Areas

The Department of Behavioral and Community Health is excited to offer our students the following three Specialization areas inthe Community Health major!

Special Populations: Life circumstances and related bio/psycho/social conditions can warrant special attention in understanding health risks of populations. People withcharacteristics or circumstancesthat have unique health implications may include the groups and subgroups in the following categories: women, children, ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, the LBGT community, older adults, and people living in poverty, as examples. Specific health risks and approaches to addressing these risks are explored within this specialization area.

Health Communication: Health communication is the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence decisions that enhance health. Health communication is fundamental in disease prevention, health promotion, health care policy, and the business of health care.Health communication uses a variety of approaches to deliver targeted messages to diverse audience segments ranging from at risk groups, to health professionals,to policy makers. This specialization focuses on theory and practice in understanding health communication uses, and methods and materials that can be applied to health campaigns and social marketing efforts.

Health Risk Behavior: Risk behaviors are thoseassociated with increased susceptibility to disease and/or injury. Risk behaviorsare many and varied and include cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, poor nutrition practices, unprotected sexual behavior, distracted driving, and violence, as examples. Understandinghealth risks associated with specific patterns of behavior, why people engage in health risk behaviors, and methods of prevention are explored in this specialization.

What does this mean for you?

  • You can take a cluster of courses in a specific area while earning health elective credit
  • You can strengthen your knowledge in a specific area of interest to you
  • You can cite your Specialization area on your resume, cover letter and/or graduate/professional school application
  • You can start anytime and apply classes retroactively (prior to the HLTH491 internship semester)

How does this work?

  • You are required to take 12 credits in your Specialization
  • At least 9 credits must be taken in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (health elective courses)
  • 3 credits of approved courses can be taken outside of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (advance approval is

requiredby the Department)

  • Your Specialization will be recognized in a letter from the Department of Behavioral and Community Health.This letter will be provided in the semester you graduate. The Specialization will not be noted on your transcript.
  • Grades of C- or higher are required in all coursework applied to your Specialization.
  • Questions? Contact your Community Health advisors! Matt Wootten: ; Jenny Hodgson:

What steps should I take to declare a Specialization?

  • Review the Specialization table and guidelines in this document (also provided on the Department website).
  • If selecting a course outside of the approved list, email Matt Wootten AND Jenny Hodgson with the syllabus and a brief justification for why you think the course fits in your Specialization.
  • The syllabus will be reviewed for applicability and you will be notified via email.
  • Outside courses must be submitted for approval prior to the HLTH491 internship semester.
  • Track your Specialization progress.
  • In the semester in which you are graduating, you will receive an email through the listserv requesting confirmation of completion.
  • Upon review and approval, a letter from the Department Chair will be emailed to you as recognition of your Specialization.
  • Keep this letter as documentation of your Specialization.

What courses outside of the Community Health major are eligible for the Specialization?

Approved courses must:

  • Have a minimum of 3 credits.
  • Clearly address your specialization area theme.
  • Directly address health content/promotion, or address one or more social determinants of health (e.g., physical environment, policy, societal/cultural forces, economics).

FAQs

  1. Can Peer Education experiences count for more than one specialization area?
  • No. Peer Education experiences cannot be double counted and will be applied toward one Specialization only.
  • No more than 3 credits of Peer Education coursework can count toward a Specialization.
  1. Can courses used as health electives outside of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health be used as one of the three required HLTH courses?
  • Because these courses do not have the “HLTH” course code, they fall in the “other” category and can be used once to ensure that students are getting Specialization information from an accredited and monitored entity.

Which courses can count toward my Specialization?

Specialization Area / Applicable HLTH Coursework
(at least 3 courses) / General examples of applicable classes that could be taken outside of the major
(maximum of 1 course)
Special Populations /
  • HLTH244: Public Health and Aging
  • HLTH325: Poor in America-Health and Wellbeing
  • HLTH424: LGBT Health
  • HLTH460: Minority Health
  • HLTH471: Women’s Health
  • Guided Independent Study with DBCH faculty person (must be approved)
/
  • AASP100: Introduction to African American Studies
  • AASP189I: HIV/AIDS in a Global Perspective
  • AAST200: Introduction to Asian American Studies
  • AAST398W: Selected Topics in Asian American Studies: Transpacific Sexualities
  • ANTH265: Anthropology of Global Health
  • CCJS325: Slavery in the 21st Century: Combating Human Trafficking
  • FMSC332: Children in Families
  • IMMR200: Introduction to Immigration and Migration Studies
  • ISRL329A: Special Topics in Israel Studies: Israel’s Arab Minority—Past, Present, Future
  • JWST319L: Special Topics in Jewish Studies: Jews in Latin America
  • LGBT200: Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies
  • LASC234: Issues in Latin American Studies II
  • PEER Education: 3 credits
  • USLT498B: US Latina/o Studies: Special Topics—Latinas/os and US Popular Culture
  • WMST200: Introduction to Women’s Studies: Women and Society
  • WMST298D: Women’s Bodies in Contention
  • WMST250: Women, Art, and Culture
  • WMST452: Women in the Media

Health Communication /
  • HLTH234: Global Health Messages
  • HLTH264: Tweets & Likes: Digital Health and Social Media
  • HLTH352: Portrayal of Drug Use and Addiction on Screen: Does Hollywood Get it Right?
  • HLTH371: Communicating Health and Safety
  • HLTH434: Introduction to Public Health Informatics
  • HLTH498T: Medical Terminology
  • Guided Independent Study with DBCH faculty person (must be approved)
/
  • COMM107: Oral Communication-Principles and Practices
  • COMM382: Essentials of Intercultural Communication
  • FMSC280: Global, Child, and Family Health: Getting There Via E-Communications
  • PEER Education: 3 credits
  • SPAN371: Spanish for the Health Professions
  • THET285: The Art of Communication and Presentation
  • WMST452: Women in the Media

Health Risk Behavior /
  • HLTH106: Drug Use and Abuse
  • HLTH242: Sex in the City
  • HLTH285: Controlling Stress and Tension
  • HLTH352: Portrayal of Drug Use and Addiction on Screen: Does Hollywood Get it Right?
  • HLTH374: Drugged, Drowsy, and Distracted Driving: Traffic Safety Issues for the New Millennium
  • HLTH377: Human Sexuality
  • HLTH476: Death Education
  • Guided Independent Study with DBCH faculty person (must be approved)
/
  • CCJS225: Responses to Violence
  • FMSC170: Future of Families-Issues and Controversies
  • EDHD221: Aggression and Violence in Everyday Life: Can Violence be Prevented?
  • PEER Education: 3 credits